Grade Inflation or am I just an Idiot?

[Scotty knows]

So I go to a pretty good UG (pretty up there on US News) on a full scholarship and I don't feel that I have really been challenged all that much. I'll be graduating early next month with a 4.0 and I pretty much took all the honors sections in the sciences. My ECs are pretty legit too even while taking 20 credits each semester. I was valedictorian of my hs too if that counts for anything.

But I can't pass the damn mcat. I took it after my sophomore year in college and bombed the living hell out of it to the point where my pre-med advisor wouldn't even meet with me (figure that one out). I decided to give it some time before I retake and I'm restudying right now and even on the practice AAMCs I keep bombing them. I'm about ready to just give up.

I don't understand, it seems like everyone on this board gets 34+ but I can't even crack a damn 30. AAMC 9 just tore me to pieces. I may be an exception, but if there is a coorelation bt. GPA and MCAT I don't fit the picture. I'm wondering if it is because of grade inflation here, my habits of cramming, or some combination.

Oh yeah, I got a 2280 on the SAT so its not like I can't think critically. I don't know whats going on.

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[Mithril]

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[smad4]

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[Potatoman1800]

You retook a 33? Why? Or were those practice tests?

Oh and OP, just keep at it. You need to put in the study time to do well. There is a lot of advice all over this site to help you along.

 

[orthomyxo]

Hey man, I'm in the same boat as you. I have a 3.9 GPA at MIT, but have failed to break 33 on all THREE of my attempts. Like you, I also got a 2280 on the SAT. I was told by my advisor that I would have "no chance at getting into any school" if my GPA weren't as high as it was.

All I can say is, don't let the MCAT define you or make you feel that you can't succeed. It's a difficult exam, and not necessarily a fair one. A 4.0, regardless of which university it's from, is something to be proud of, so chin up!

What's wrong with a 33? Also, why the hell would you retake that kind of score?

 

[smad4]

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[slowbutsteady]

Hey man, I'm in the same boat as you. I have a 3.9 GPA at MIT, but have failed to break 33 on all THREE of my attempts. Like you, I also got a 2280 on the SAT. I was told by my advisor that I would have "no chance at getting into any school" if my GPA weren't as high as it was.

All I can say is, don't let the MCAT define you or make you feel that you can't succeed. It's a difficult exam, and not necessarily a fair one. A 4.0, regardless of which university it's from, is something to be proud of, so chin up!

Holy crap you retook a 33????? With a 3.9 at MIT???

To answer to OP's question, yes, you sir are an idiot.

(Or an academic snob who cannot see himself at anywhere but a top ten med school.)

 

[slowbutsteady]

It was an unbalanced 33 (8 on verbal).

Oh, sorry, yes that is a red flag. My bad.

 

[blackarrowmoose]

its possible that it is inflation, i know for a fact it is VERY difficult to obtain anything above a 3.75 at my school but thats mainly due to the harsh level of grading.

 

[startswithb]

Plenty of people with high GPAs struggle with the MCAT. I would guess that's because their study habits are not suited for the style of test. Cramming and memorization do not work. Careful, deliberate study from the beginning helped me get from mid 20s to 30+.

 

[phltz]

Hey man, I'm in the same boat as you. I have a 3.9 GPA at MIT, but have failed to break 33 on all THREE of my attempts. Like you, I also got a 2280 on the SAT. I was told by my advisor that I would have "no chance at getting into any school" if my GPA weren't as high as it was.

All I can say is, don't let the MCAT define you or make you feel that you can't succeed. It's a difficult exam, and not necessarily a fair one. A 4.0, regardless of which university it's from, is something to be proud of, so chin up!

Just out of curiosity, what Course are you?

 

[hiyaman]

Plenty of people with high GPAs struggle with the MCAT. I would guess that's because their study habits are not suited for the style of test. Cramming and memorization do not work. Careful, deliberate study from the beginning helped me get from mid 20s to 30+.

I don't see how a person can get a high gpa just by cramming all the time. I mean try cramming for organic!

Just out of curiosity, what Course are you?

He's cell biology. Smad4 in the TGF-beta pathway.

 

[tennischamp822]

...

 

[gravitywave]

key on MCAT is timing. You don't have time to puzzle every question out - you must attack the test or it will bite you back.

those of you in the high GPA/low MCAT boat: have you looked into taking a prep course? the trouble you folks are having is what these guys excel with. they can show you how to take the test - which has surprisingly little to do with how broad your grasp of the content is.

 

[teddy bear doc]

Plenty of people with high GPAs struggle with the MCAT. .

+1!

A friend of mine has practically a 4.0 (like, 3.95 or something) in a very rigorous program, and got an absolutely abysmal score the first go-around (sub 20). Test anxiety, bad study habits, inadequate preparation... these can all play into it. Figure out what YOUR issue is and fix it before the real deal. Good luck!

 

[Scotty knows]

key on MCAT is timing. You don't have time to puzzle every question out - you must attack the test or it will bite you back.

those of you in the high GPA/low MCAT boat: have you looked into taking a prep course? the trouble you folks are having is what these guys excel with. they can show you how to take the test - which has surprisingly little to do with how broad your grasp of the content is.

Trust me I looked into it. I took the online Kaplan during sophomore year, only problem was that I was "studying" while taking 20 credits and spending 30 hours in the f'n lab (the stupid f'n lab has ruined my life!). I really didn't learn any tricks at all.

Now I am taking Princeton and none of my instructors have taken the MCAT before they just push the content.

I am going to contact someone at TPR though and see if I can get some tips from the master instructor?

 

[Scotty knows]

This blows...I was counting on going from high SAT => high MCAT, but that correlation doesn't seem so solid now.

Sorry, in my case there isn't. I hope there is for you though.

Are you consistently studying/practicing passages?

No, that is my problem. Hopefully if I keep going through the Science wookbook and ek 1001 along with TPR passages something will happen

 

[BBender716]

Sorry, in my case there isn't. I hope there is for you though.



No, that is my problem. Hopefully if I keep going through the Science wookbook and ek 1001 along with TPR passages something will happen

Make sure you do this along with MULTIPLE practice tests (at least 5, and retakes of practices don't count).

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

Oh you sound like classmates of mine. I go to Vanderbilt, so it's pretty rigorous/competitive, but I have friends with 3.8 and 35's still re-taking the MCAT. I think people with perfect SAT's have trouble comprehending that they might "only" get a 33 or whatever. Do you go to an Ivy? I hear a few of them do have grade inflation. No matter what be proud of what you've done! Good luck!

 

[WorldChanger36]

OP, Are you practising multiple passage in PS, BS and Verbal? Do you work on things daily? When you screw up a practice test do you go over the things you get wrong, to figure out why you got it wrong? Do you get the same things wrong again and again? Are the questions you are missing fundamentals or do you miss important information about how to solve thing? Do you fall for common mistakes like pH , effect on biological systems and using the wrong formula in physics? Do you run out of time on sections? Do you feel like your guess about questions? Does the test feel overwhelming?